On the Town: Arts for All Foundation hands out honors
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., represented by Lisa Rawlins, the studio’s senior vice president of studio and production affairs, Burbank teacher Beth Morrison and Burbank PTA Council President Barbara Miller were honored by the Burbank Arts for All Foundation at the “Party on the Plaza” at the Media Studios North campus on Friday.
Hosted by NBC4’s Fritz Coleman and foundation Co-chairs Craig Murray and Alexandra Helfrich, proceeds from the event will ensure every student in Burbank public schools has access to a quality visual and performing arts education as part of the core curriculum.
Along with event Co-chairs Joan McCarthy and Lili Rossi, Mayor Jess Talamantes and Vice Mayor Dave Golonski were among the 320 supporters who saw Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. receive the Patron of the Arts award for its support that has made a significant impact on the foundation’s mission. The Arts For All Educator award was presented to Morrison for her dedication to enriching the lives of her students through exceptional commitment; and the Champion of the Arts award was bestowed upon Miller for her volunteer commitment to providing equitable access to the arts for students of Burbank Unified School District.
Since it was founded in 2006, the foundation has awarded more than $120,000 to provide new musical instruments, artist-in-residency programs, professional development for teachers, workshops, auditorium and sound system upgrades, and strategic planning for numerous dance, theater, music and art productions and projects.
This past weekend also saw the Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center Guild convene for this annual spring luncheon and fashion show.
Staged under the theme “April Showers,” guild members and guests gathered in the Grand Ballroom of the Sheraton Universal Hotel for the festivities, which included the Lucinda Miedema-produced main event, in which local physicians served as runway models.
Emceed by former KABC and KCBS anchorman Harold Greene, the event, which will assist the guild in fulfilling its pledge of $500,000 to the Hycy and Howard Hill Neuroscience Institute for the treatment of stroke, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, was made possible by Co-chairs Lucy Brown and Jo Massimini, the guild’s president, Kathleen Marsden, and committee members Marian Enos, Donna Mahoney, Jerry Delauney, Chik Smaldino, Karen Barragan, Rhoberta Kerr, Audrey Yates, Maureen Walsh, Eugenia Beccarelli, Maria Balke, Julie McArdle, Jackie Van Beveren, Angie Scholl, Patricia Scully, Ann Venti, Wanda Bistagne, Terry Campbell, Grace Mylroie Patz, Dee Call, Janice Khoury, Lori Riela and J.D. Mata.
Fundraising continued as Providence High School presented its 2012 gala fundraiser at Lakeside Golf Club on Saturday evening. Honoring local developer Vic Georgino and his wife, Sue, who served as the Burbank community development director from 2001 till 2009 and is now a member of the Burbank Airport Commission, special guests in attendance included the school’s principal, Joe Sciuto, former-principal Sister Lucille Dean, Mayor Jess Talamantes, Council members Gary Bric and Emily Gabel-Luddy, and former-Mayor Michael Hastings.
Saturday’s gala was made possible by the event committee, which included Ty Avendano, Vickie Bagwell, Elle Batchelor, Paul Kaminski, Allison Knowles, Erica Menke, Kathy Nelson, Sharron Nelson, Marriette Simoni Thomas, Karen Soto-White, Erin Wilson and Susan Yee.
DAVID LAURELL can be reached by email dlaurell@aol.com or (818) 563-1007.
